Jars Of Clay

1. Introduction: I will be teaching this lesson to a group of second graders at my church. Are classroom is on the upstairs level and, I will also be utilizing the outside area that is directly behind of my church. There are about thirty second graders in my classroom. So, it is a really busy class. But, they are a whole lot of fun to work with. And, they seem to respond to me well. We will be talking about II Cor. 4:7-18. I think that this lesson will be very interesting to first and second graders. It will help them to better understand the gift of salvation. 2. Outline: I. Opening Focus A. Make small clay pinch pots B. Ask the children questions C. Show large pot II. Saul (Acts : 9) A. Saul’s threats B. Jesus speaking to Saul 1. “why do you persecute me?”

2. “go to the city” C. Saul’s blindness 1. blind for three days 2. Saul meets Ananias 3. Saul is healed spiritually and physically D. Saul’s Discipleship 1. the other disciples did not believe Paul 2. Barnabas tells of Saul’s healing 3. Paul is accepted III. Paul (Acts 13:9) A. “Asked of God” B. Prison 1. wrote letters 2. rejoiced C. Paul’s letter to Corinth (2 Cor. 4:1-18) 1. Corinth’s problems 2. Corinth’s disbelief 3. Jars of Clay (2 Cor. 4:7) a. kept treasures in them b. fragil 4. Christians as Jars of Clay a. hard pressed b. struck down by others c. treasures of heaven inside (2 Cor. 4:18) 3-5 External Content, Internal Content, and Application: Opening focus: As my opening focus I am going to take the children outside to make clay pots. I will teach them to make a simple pinch pot. While the children are pinching their pots I will ask them questions (Where in the Bible do we learn about clay pots? What are some of the things that you can do with a clay pot? Do you all have any clay pots at your house? Do clay pots break easy? and etc.).

Then when they are finished I will show them a large clay pot that I have made. Then, I will have all of the children leave their pots at their seats and come sit in the grass so I can tell them a story. Lesson Body: I want to tell you a story about a man named Saul (Acts:9). Saul was a very bad man. He threatened to murder Jesus’s disciples in Acts 9:1. One day while Saul was walking to Damascus he fell to the ground. He heard a great voice saying, “Saul, Saul why do you persecute me?”. Who are you, Lord” Saul asked. And, what do you all think that the voice replied? The voice said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now, get up and go into the city”. But, when Saul got up he had a big problem. He could not see anything. So, he had to be lead by hand into Damascus. And, for three whole days he could not see a thing. Can you all imagine what it would be like not to be able to see anything?

Do you think it would be scary? Saul was very scared. But, he met up with a man named Ananias. And, Ananias was sent by the Lord to help Paul see again. And, he was also here to fill Saul with the Holy Spirit. And, when Ananias told Saul these things Saul felt something heavy lift from his eyes. And, it was a miracle. Saul could see again. What is a miracle? A miracle is an act that only God can do. When Saul finally made it to Damascus he met with the disciples. Do you all know what a disciple is? A disciple is someone who spreads the word of God. But, when Saul met up with the disciples. They did not believe that he was a disciple. But, Barnabas told them about Saul’s vision of God. And, the disciples believed him and accepted him as their own. So, Saul changed his name to Paul (Acts 13:9). Do you all know what the name Paul means? The name Paul means “asked of God”. And, Paul surely was asked of God. After Paul was saved he had a bit of misfortune. He was arrested. And, where do you go when you are arrested?